Visiting Ephesus, Turkey: Immerse Yourself In An Ancient World | Chasing the Donkey

Ephesus Entrance Fee

The cost of visiting Ephesus Archaeological is 200 Lira.  An audio guide or tour will cost extra. 

You can book guided tours online independently, or you can also arrange a guide at the entrance.

Opening Hours Of Ephesus Archeological Site

In summer, you can enter Ephesus from 8 am to 8 pm
In winter, the site stays open till 8 pm and opens at 8 am 

Note: Last entry is 30 minutes before closing each day, but you need at least 2 hours to explore

What To See In Ephesus In One Day

There are more than eight, but these are the top ones we recommend if you are short on time and only have one day;

1. Varius Bath of Ephesus
2. Ephesus Great Theater
3. Ephesus Museum
4. Library of Celsus
5. Prytaneion
6. Temple of Artemis
7. Temple of Hadrian
8. Terraced Houses

Ephesus Sights

Of the main eight sights, here is a breakdown of what to do in Ephesus Turkey, we detail what makes each sight so special.

Varius Bath Of Ephesus

The magnificent marble Baths of Varius are located north of the State Agora and east of the Basilica. The bath was initially constructed in the Hellenistic period, roughly in the second century A.D., and has since undergone numerous restorations. Those renovations are the reason for the building’s distinctive appearance today. 

 Legendary sophist Flavius Damianus constructed the bath. Damianus and his wife had a private room built for them. Later, a room was also added to the Varius Baths by Vedia Faedrina and Ephesus Vedius Antonius, a wealthy citizen’s daughter. Romans cared about personal hygiene, so they used this bath regularly. It was considered a symbol of prestige.

 Over the course of the second century, a few more rooms were added to the baths. As time passed, more and more rooms were being added, one after another. During the fourth century, Scholastica, a wealthy Christian woman, provided the money for the restorations. The structure received significant renovations in the fifth century to depict the Byzantine Era and its influence on interior decoration. The 40-meter passageway decorated in mosaics is the most evident indication of these alterations. The caldarium (hot portion), tepidarium (warm section), and frigidarium are all features of the bath’s ultimate classical Roman design (cold section).

 Today, baths are not in great shape. Some parts of the baths are collapsed, and it is hard to visualize how it looked hundreds of years ago. The baths’ excavations have not yet been finished, so there might be new rooms and chambers in the future. In order to understand what you see beyond the vault area of the building, you may need some background knowledge of Roman bath houses. 

Ephesus Great Theatre

Although there is no archaeological evidence for the Great Theatre’s existence before 100 BC, it is thought to have been constructed during the Hellenistic eras. It was assigned to Lysimachus, the marshal of Alexander the Great. It was Lysimachus who chose this location for the theatre. 

 Preparing the mountainside for the building’s construction and potential extension took almost 60 years of digging. By the eighth century A.D., the theater had joined the city’s defense system after earthquakes severely damaged it in the fourth century A.D. After those earthquakes, the Great Theatre was never fully renovated.

 The theater has a 145-meter diameter and rises 30 meters in height. The capacity of the theatre is 25,000 spectators. It was designed with the stage facing the audience and the harbor in the background. The theater initially had just one floor. Neron, the Roman emperor, constructed the stage’s first two stories, and a third floor was later built in the second century. The size of the theatre stage is 25 by 40 meters. The stage is decorated with pillars and sculptures of the gods, goddesses, and emperors. The podium entrance and a secret passageway to an underground tunnel leading to the orchestra pit were both on the ground floor. On all other floors, there are eight rooms and a hallway.

 On feast days, offerings would have been made at the altar that was in the center of the stage. The audience in Roman times paid an admission fee to be entertained, although performances typically began early in the day and continued until late at night. Gladiator battles would have also taken place in the theater during this period. The theater frequently appears on lists of regional holy places due to its biblical relevance. It is the location of St. Paul’s anti-pagan preaching. The interesting fact is that the theatre is still being used for concerts. Elton John had one just a few years ago.

Library Of Celsus 

Of all of the things to do in Ephesus Turkey, the Celsus Library, one of Ephesus’ most impressive structures, was the third-largest library in the ancient world. As a tribute to his father, Julius Celsus Polemeanus, Council Gaius Julius Aquila constructed it in the first century A.D. Before his passing, Celsus, a councilman, and governor, left money to finish and maintain the enormous library. A special compartment below the ground level that could be reached via a passageway leading to a gate hidden behind the library’s north wall contained the governor’s marble tomb. So the library was a heron (shrine) as well.

 The Library had two stories and a door off Curetes Street that led inside. The four twin pillars that supported the building are reached after nine stone stairs. Large windows provide enough light for reading within the library. The building was constructed explicitly with an additional set of walls surrounding it to maintain a constant temperature and humidity.

 The library was destroyed in the third century A.D. and rebuilt in the fourth. In the first millennium A.D., an earthquake completely destroyed it. An earthquake in the 10th century A.D. once again destroyed it. 

Prytaneion

The Prytaneion is located directly behind the market basilica. The building was constructed in the third century B.C. under Lysimachos’ administration. The structure was destroyed during the Augustan era, and some of the Prytaneion’s columns and other elements were utilized in constructing the Scholastica Baths in the fourth century.

 The Prytaneion served as the city hall or the official administrative structure. Here were held official gatherings, religious rituals, and feasts. The sacred flame, which would have been kept in a four-cornered pit, set a prytaneion construction apart from a bouleterion. The Curetes, Hestia’s priestesses, would have maintained this sacred hearth burning in honor of Hestia, the goddess of hearth and fire.

 Architecturally speaking, the Prytaneion would have been built similarly to a private home. It contained a dining room to host guests from abroad, administrative offices, the state archives, and a conference hall. Only two of the eight columns that once stood in front of the structure may be visible now. These columns lead to an enclosed garden. The garden floor was covered with an Amazonian shield-themed mosaic.

 Archaeologists discovered two statues of the goddess Artemis during excavations of Prytaneion. One of these was neatly buried in the shrine, while the larger one was found in the ceremonial hall. These statues are now in the Ephesus museum.

Temple of Hadrian 

On Curetes Street, this temple honoring Emperor Hadrian is considered one of the most stunning and well-preserved buildings. To commemorate Hadrian’s visit to the city from Athens, P. Quintilius built it during the start of the second century A.D. Emperor Hadrian was viewed as one of the Five Good Emperors. Those five (considered) good emperors are Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius. These men successfully gained the senate’s support and cooperation, something other emperors had failed to do.

 But the name “Temple of Hadrian” is a little misleading. It is not really a temple but actually a monument. And that monument was also dedicated to the goddess Artemis and the people of Ephesus. The central area of the temple is called Nao. This would have been a tiny space with a big entrance door constructed of small stones. This door’s beams were elegantly ornamented with representations of eggs and pearls. 

 Recent renovations have been made to the Hadrian’s Temple. Replicas of the ancient statues have been installed in their places. The originals have been taken out and are now on view in the museum in Ephesus.

Temple of Artemis 

The Temple of Artemis often referred to as the Temple of Diana, is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the first temple made of marble. The Temple was created in the sixth century B.C. Croesus, the wealthy king of Lydia, paid for the early building. One hundred twenty-seven marble columns made up the temple.

 In the act of arson on July 21, 356 BC, Herostratus destroyed the Artemis temple in Ephesus. His goal, according to the narrative, was fame at any cost. That same day, Alexander the Great was born. Artemis was reportedly preoccupied with delivering Alexander when her temple caught fire. Alexander offered to pay for Temple’s reconstruction, but Ephesians rejected Alexander’s offer. The temple was eventually repaired following Alexander’s passing in 323 BC. The Ephesian people reconstructed the temple after the original was destroyed in a Goth assault in 262. The temple was finally demolished in 401. The bulk of Ephesians converted to Christianity during the course of the following two centuries.

 Today, the Turkish government is currently considering renovating the Temple of Artemis. The temple is not surrounded by any barriers. All that is visible to visitors is a column that Austrian archaeologists rebuilt. It is a significant spiritual location. Three different religions would meet in the same block: an ancient pagan temple, a basilica dedicated to St. John, and a mosque.

Terraced Houses

On the northern slope of Bülbülda Hill, close to Curetes Street and across from the Temple of Hadrian, is the magnificent residential complex known as Terrace Houses in Ephesus. Two housing complexes have already been dug up: Eastern and Western. Beginning in 1960, excavation work on the Terrace Houses began. The houses are still being restored, so there is always something fresh to marvel at there. The villas are still being restored at this time. Visitors can now observe the meticulous labor of archaeologists thanks to this fact. A substantial roof covers the entire area, shielding the interiors’ priceless contents from the weather’s damaging effects.

 Private homes built on three terraces make up the Eastern Complex, which has an area of around 2500 square meters. Domus, a villa occupied by wealthier people and several houses belonging to middle-class people, is the most notable structure. The complex’s construction began in the first century A.D., and people lived there until the seventh. Naturally, they underwent substantial repairs and renovations in the meantime. There was running water in each home, and each had its own entrance from the street.

 At least five luxurious houses with inner gardens made up the Western Complex, which has been flawlessly preserved to the present day. Frescoes and other artwork uncovered during an archaeological investigation are still used to decorate many of the rooms. All of the homes in this neighborhood had running water, and the remains of bathtub-equipped bathrooms have been discovered.

Visitor tips :

To see Ephesus’ Terrace Houses, you must pay a fee of 2€. The complex is open every day from 8 am. to 6:30 pm. from April through October and from 8 am. to 4:30 pm. from November through March.

Ephesus Museum 

The ideal addition to a tour of the Ephesus ruins is a trip to the Ephesus Archaeological Museum in Selçuk. There are several artifacts from the ancient city, the Temple of Artemis, the Basilica of St. John, and the fortress on the Ayasuluk Hill in the collections of this modest but intriguing museum. Other neighboring archaeological sites are also featured, including the Belevi Mausoleum and the ukuriçi Mound, where the oldest object in the museum’s collection—a stamp from 6200 BCE—was discovered.

 The museum’s collection includes artifacts from many historic and prehistoric eras, such as the Mycenaean, Classical, Roman, Geometric, Archaic, Hellenistic, Byzantine and Ottoman periods. The archaeological section’s eight main rooms are divided into sections on the cult of Kybele, the finds from the Artemision, the terrace houses of Ephesus, ancient coins, the presentation of Ephesus through the ages, and stone artifacts in the garden. The museum’s garden and designated exhibition spaces are areas where the exhibits are displayed geographically rather than chronologically.

Visitor info

The Ephesus Archaeological Museum in Selçuk is open every day from 8:00 am to 6:30 pm in the summer (April through October) and from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm in the winter (November through March). The cost of the ticket is around 1€. The ticket office closes 30 minutes earlier.

 There is a small cafeteria and a gift shop at the museum. Near the entrance, there are restrooms as well.

 The Ephesus Archaeological Museum is located in Selçuk’s town center, next to the bus station and only a 30-minute walk from the ancient Ephesus ruins.

• Visit outside of the peak season months if you can. Less people make the experience better
• Wear comfortable shoes and avoid flip-flops. Flip-flops are a recipe for a slip and fall! A lot of Ephesus consists of marble pathways that go up and downhill
• Wear a hat and sunscreen during the summer months. There isn’t a lot of shade in Ephesus, and the Turkish summer sun can be unforgiving
• Take your time, make sure to sit down, and have a drink of water every so often. It’s surprising how many people try and motor their way around only to become tired and run out of steam
• Budget appropriately. Ephesus isn’t the cheapest place to visit, but it’s certainly worth it. You will need to pay extra if you want to see the House of The Virgin Mary, so bear this in mind when budgeting
• Make sure you don’t miss the last train or bus back to your accommodation. If you did not arrive on a tour or drive yourself, be sure to leave enough time to walk to your bus or train stop
• Stop for breakfast as you enter Selcuk. There are some fantastic roadside restaurants in town, many of which offer a stunning view of the mountainside and serve a delicious, traditional Turkish breakfast
• Clear out your camera memory card. You’re going to need the space!
• Arrive early to make the most of the whole day. In summer, the place is scorching, arriving early helps you beat the midday heat